Synthesis gas is a gaseous mixture that contains various amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Synthesis gas, or syngas, is typically generated by the gasification of a carbon containing fuel into a gaseous product. There may be several uses for syngas, including the production of energy through combustion of the syngas as well as using the syngas as an intermediate for the production of chemicals such as synthetic petroleum.
Current methods of production of syngas may include partial oxidation, steam reforming, autothermal reforming and gasification of solid biomass and coal. These and other processes reform the solid hydrocarbon to produce syngas. However, current methods typically require relatively large amounts of energy input to maintain the process at a steady state. Solid hydrocarbons typically have a relatively low heat calorific value when undergoing partial oxidation. Thus, the energy released by the oxidation typically is insufficient to support the process. Further, a significant portion of the energy that is produced is typically lost because of design limitations.
There is a need for an improved way to efficiently reform solid hydrocarbons into the syngas.